Just Another Snape Story
by viennaaa
Summary: Harry is Hailey just bcause it's fits better with some parts of the story,, I don't know how to write a gay story so... , Snape starts teaching Occlumency after Voldemorts attempts to get the filosofers stone, Snape's hate becomes understanding (eventually!) , Discription is vage because I really don't know where I'm going.. Disclamer : JK is the genius here :)
1. Chapter 1

Hello, Just a little intro. I would like to start with saying that this is the first story i've ever written so please don't be to harsh ;)

I'm Dutch and I can speak, read and write in English but I think I'm lacking some of the vocabulair needed sometimes. I apologize in advance.

I'm posting this because I would really really like to know what you think... I have a whole story in my head but I have found that it's very difficult to write it as yo see it. Well I've tried anyway and this is the start. Hopefully you like it. Please let me know. XXX

PS: If any of you have improvements or better words or anything like that, please let me know so I can fix it. Thanks..

PPS: I decided to cut a little piece off of Harry thus making Harry: Hailey

Walking through the dark corridor filled with nothingness, she couldn't believe her luck. As if having to listen to Snape blab on about how useless she was with potions wasn't enough! Now she had to take private lessons as well?!

She tried to recall the conversation Dumbledore had had with her. It was the day after she had destroyed Voldemort's plans of returning using the Philosophers Stone. She was still laying in the infirmary at Hogwarts when Dumbledore walked in. He had talked with her for a little bit. Congratulated her for a job well done and asking how she was feeling. Then he had said: "Now that we know that the Dark Lord is back, we have to start taking precautions. I think it's best Hailey, if you would let professor Snape tutor you." She remembered her reaction to those words vividly. "Headmaster do you think there are any potions out there that would kill him?! Maybe it's best to let professor Snape brew them instead of teaching me…" The Headmaster started to chuckle and gave her a big smile. "No dear, I don't think there are. Well there are potions that can kill people when they drink them, but I don't think Voldemort would ever fall for something like that. What I want professor Snape to teach you is something else entirely. It is the art of occlumency, and professor Snape is a master of it. It is a craft that lets you hide your thoughts for other wizards. Wizards that know the art of Legilimency. It's somewhat like what muggles would call mind reading. "Really? Are there really people who can read your mind?" The girl asked with a hint of admiration in her voice. "Well not exactly like mind reading. It's more like reading your feelings. It's quite complex, like the mind itself. True masters of Legilimency can extract your feelings and memories. It's not that they can just read your mind. But when you're telling a lie and you feel remorseful, they pick up on that feeling and thus know your lying. They can also retrieve memories from a person if those memories aren't warded. Unfortunately Voldemort is one of those people, and seeing that he thinks of you as his mortal enemy, I think it best to start teaching you how to hide your thoughts..."

She sighed… _Of all the professors that work in this school! Of course Snape is the expert in whatever the Headmaster wants her to learn!_ Occupied with her strain of thoughts, she was opening the door of the room where the potions lessons were held before she realized what she was doing. **"What's the matter with you POTTER! Has the little intelligence you posses abandoned your brain?! Or has the lack of parental education caused you to walk right in without having the manners to knock?!"** The potions professor's voice was like ice and cut right through her. Snape was sitting at his desk in front of the class. Dressed in a diamond black robe, he was looking at her with an expression that could have killed at mere site. "I'm sorry professor" she said quietly, kicking herself in her head for doing such a thing and thus setting the tone for the rest of the lesson. _Well,_ she thought, _he's hated me for a while now_ _so even if I hadn't dropped in unannounced, his mood wouldn't be any better. _

She remembered the first time she had met the professor. I was only the previous year, although it seemed like ages ago. She had just arrived at Hogwarts and was eager to learn from the potions master. Thinking potions would be an interesting class she had taking the stool in the classroom that wasn't too close to the blackboard (as to not seem like a dork) and not too far to the back ( so she wouldn't seem uninterested). She watched as the professor introduced himself and told them: "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." She was immediately impressed with him and had started on her potion doing her utmost best, trying to make the professor see she wasn't a dunderhead and very devoted to this class. The disappointment she had felt when the professor never even took one look at her or her efforts, even when she asked him direct questions, astounded her. It was as if he couldn't bear to look her in the eyes. At the end of the class he had just mumbled something about her potion being a good effort, before turning away and starting to clear the caldrons.

For a moment she had thought it was just her imagination playing tricks on her, but over the next couple of months she had realized it wasn't! With every lesson it became more clear that Snape did his utmost best to avoid eye contact (or any other contact for that matter). If she asked a question he answered it without looking up, if she walked over to him, he would walk away (presumably to talk to other students) or tell her (without looking up) that she was to stay seated.

This went on for months until that first week after class. That first week after her meeting the Dark Lord for the first time, well.. Voldemort in professor Quirrel's body, since that horrible night a decade ago.

After all that had happened that week with Voldemort trying to kill her, her mind had been too distracted to think about professors that wilfully tried to ignore her very existence. Oh boy, had that been a mistake! For the first time since she had arrived at Hogwarts she saw the professor, standing in front of the class, looking directly at her. She had looked back, giving him an uncertain smile before sitting down. Foolishly she had thought that the professor may liked her more, dare she even say, be impressed with her, for taking on the Dark Lord himself. Maybe that was the reason that he was now, finally looking at her. Maybe he just didn't want to give attention to anyone he found undeserving? She soon found out that that wasn't the case. In the following weeks she had learned that a teacher giving you the cold shoulder, was far superior than one giving you his sole attention. From that point on he had spared no expense as to let her know just what he thought of her and her (as he called it) sorry attempts at brewing something other than rotten egg soup. After a few of those lessons she was longing for the professor who acted like she was a ghost. She had thought to ask the professor what she had exactly done to deserve this kind of treatment, but that idea quickly dissolved after talking to some of her housemates.

Fred and George Weasley ensured her that this was nothing compared with what the Bat From Hell would do to her where she to ask why, or in other words imply that, he was threading her unfair. So she just took it. Taking comfort in the fact that only one teacher was treating her in a way the Dursleys would highly improve off. Even if she didn't know what she had done to make him so angry at her.

"Yes, well… I'm sorry too miss Potter. Fifteen points from Gryffindor for unmannerly actions!" He said still sitting at his desk with an evil grin on his face. "But professor…" Were it any other teacher, she would have finished that sentence, but knowing it would be futile to do so, she just closed her mouth. "Yes, sir." She said quietly. "Well miss Potter, I assume you know why you're here?"He said with his usual strict, dark voice more breathing than speaking. "Yess" she replied, still mourning the loss of house points. "Yes?..." the professor hissed. "Yes what?" Struggling to get her emotions under control she replied quietly: "Yes, sir I know why I'm here."

"Well than, enlighten me if you'd please." He said, his voice still dark. "I'm here _professor_, to learn occlumency". She replied, looking at the floor as if she was willing it to open and devoir her at that instance. "So you are, miss Potter. As you have learned the rules I upheld from attending my potions class, I see no need to repeat them. Do you?" "No sir", the girl answered. "Then again, as you are a Potter, maybe it would be best to do so anyway. You have already demonstrated that a simple thing as: knocking before you invade my quarters, is too difficult for your tiny brains to store as useful knowledge". "I'm sorry professor I was just…" "No need to bore me with the useless inner workings of your mind, Potter". Snape looked at her with an evil smile as if enjoying any insult he had thrown her with immense pleasure. "The rules, as I said, are the same as in my potions class. You will be on time for our appointments. You will act respectfully, and you will commit your time to these lessons, as I have better things to do than let you waste my time. Now let's start with the lesson before I decide that teaching you something as profound as occlumency, is a futile effort and realize that I have far better ways of spending my time. If you would be so kind as come and stand before me"? His razor thong, icy voice and deathly look would be enough to give anyone the creeps but she didn't cringe and walked towards him until she was only a few feet away. "First I will explain to you what occlumency is, as I am sure you will not have done any effort to prepare for this lesson and looked it up yourself". _Well for your information I did! But I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of pointing out every little mistake or piece of information that I failed to memorize by heart and blaming it on my parents genes! _She thought and so she kept quiet. "I didn't think so." He hissed at the girl. "Five points from Gryffindor for being lazy". A rush of anger came through her as she heard him and in her mind she was jelling. _You ARE kidding right?! We're not even ten minutes into the lesson and already you've duct TWENTY POINTS… By this rate there aren't any points left by the end of the class._

"You should have thought about that before doing or lacking things that will cost your housemates points, _miss _Potter" Snape said, glaring at the girl before him with a deep dark pleasure. The girl flinched and was barely able to make concise sentences. "Butt… Butt… I didn't say that aloud" surprise and horror fleeing from her voice. Snape just smirked at her, pleased with the fact he had frightened her half to death. "No you didn't, but you didn't have to. The reason why I'm teaching you occlumency should be quite clear to you now. Even if you are a Gryffindor and not known for being very observant." He muttered under his breath just hard enough for the girl to hear his insult. "I'm not only a master of the art of occlumency but also in extracting information from other minds, also known as Legilimency." Snape said almost beaming with pride. "But professor Dumbledore said that you couldn't read my mind… and.. and I thought… I mean… I read that people feel something when their mind is penetrated by someone.." "Well I see you at least tried to do a _little _research before coming here to waste my time. Yes it is true that most people know when they're being probed. But only if they have a little bit of a ward to conceal their thoughts and emotions. That feeling is coming from breaking the ward. Further you have to have a lot of control over your emotions if you want to keep Legilimency masters from probing you. You however, have so little control over yours that they surface willingly and unwillingly. How you've kept from going insane all these years I don't know, since you are an emotional rollercoaster without any control". "But then… you can just read my mind"? She asked anxiously while thinking to herself: _I really really hope not. _For she'd had a lot of thoughts about the potions master lately. "Flatter yourself not, Potter. I have far more interesting thoughts to occupy my mind with than the misused name-calling of an immature little girl". Well that was a very well disguised _Yes_, she thought rebelliously. "Seems like I got my work cut out for me today". Snape said, pinching the bridge of his nose with a feeling of desperation.

"The first thing you will have to learn when trying to master occlumency is: emptying your mind. For when your mind is empty, there is nothing to obtain. I would like you to try emptying your mind now". _Well yeah, _she thought, _of course I'll be able to empty my mind after the bombshell you just dropped on me. _"Well just try anyways"! A snappy voice said. _Goddammned, this is so unfair…_ was the next thought that rose. "Language miss Potter, or else I will have no problem deducting more points from your house". "But I didn't even say anything! It wasn't even language… It was thoughts. And I've never heard anyone saying: watch your thoughts or you'll be in trouble"! She looked up at the professor, only to see him smirking at her with an evil grin and pleasure glittering from his eyes. Knowing it meant: _Say one more thing and I will make you regret it_, she quickly shut up and only said "Okay, I'm sorry professor". "Well Potter..."

_Okay… clear your thoughts, clear your thoughts.. But thinking: clear your thoughts is also a thought right… so I should think of nothing… how do you even think of nothing?.. the only time I don't think of anything is when I am asleep and even then I'm dreaming so that's a thought too right?.. _"

"POTTER..!" Snape's angry voice was roaring through the room. "Are you TRYING to drive me insane? Just clear your head! My _god _it's baffling that you Gryffindors can find pain in even the simplest tasks! She glared at the professor standing tall in front of her with utter exhaustion seeping from his face. He rubbed his forehead with his hand and then continued with a calmer voice. "To clear your mind, Potter, one does not start to THINK about clearing your mind. I would think that was clear but app…. "You start banishing thoughts as they come into your mind. Keeping at it until your head is clear and no memories, emotions or idea's surface anymore. Now try it." He looked at her as she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and started banishing her thoughts. One after another surfaced and went away until she was finally thinking of nothing. "Now that your thoughts aren't one lip movement away any more and more hidden away, It's not easy to pick them up at will by anyone. Of course one that is master in Legilimency will be able to break through the surface quite easily sice your ward is not that strong at the moment. It is however your first layer of defense. As your training progresses the wards will become stronger and there will be more layers. Now keep your mind clear and try to notice me breaching your wards. Try to stop me any way you can." Looking at her with an expressionless face, he waited for the girl to get ready. She looked at him and then reached for her wand, keeping her mind free of thoughts and breathing in air to get ready. A tingling feeling in her head rose and memories started to drift back. She tried to keep her mind empty but the power behind the surfacing memories was too strong. A white light was the forerunner of a memory that has been tucked away in her subconscious for years, now surfacing at an alarming rate. Suddenly she saw a toddler, sitting in the corner of a room crying. The room was blue and white and she recognized it as the living room at the Dursleys home. In the other corner of the room stood a bright lit Christmas tree with all sorts of ornaments hanging from its branches. In the middle of the room a white couch and coffee table. Aunt Petunia and uncle Vernon were sitting on the couch. They smiled at each other whilst giving Dudley present after present. Dudley was screaming from joy and ripping the packages open. One after another, not even looking at what was in the boxes. "No…stop…I…I don't…" Another flash of white light caused her to see the blue wall again, only this time the wall was farther away, only seeing it through the door opening. She realized she was now in one of the adjoining rooms. Looking around and seeing a pale yellow wall let her know she was now in the kitchen of the house. Trying to comprehend which memory had surfaced now she looked around and saw herself, kneeling on the floor. _I must be around eight years old_ she thought as the memory progressed. She looked back at the girl on the floor, kneeling, looking terrified and crying. Panic run through her as she suddenly realized which memory this was. "NO!" she screamed, and the white light flashed again.

She found herself laying on the floor of the classroom. Trembling and disorientated she tried to rise to her feet. "Well Potter"… A stern dark voice rose as she struggled to find her bearings. "It seems like you finally found a way to block my attack. Now.. do you know _how_ you managed to do that?" "No, sir" the flustered girl said, still trying to get a clear view of her surroundings. "That figures. Leave it to a Gryffindor to not draw conclusions from actions" he sighed. "What were you doing or thinking when you blocked me"? "Uhhh I… I…" "Was the question unclear Potter..? Do I have to spell it out for you"? "No sir.." She answered, rushing to get her mind working again. "I just… I didn't want to recall that memory" she lied. "Exactly Potter, wanting is the right word". "Your will was stronger than mine and therefore your mind power was stronger than mine. Because of that you were able to block me out. Of course…" That was about as far as he could go because the next moment he saw the girl running to the corner of the room. "Potter how dare you run away from…" Bluuueeekkk… "I'm sorry professor" Bluuueeekkk… "I think I'm alright now, sorry" She walked back from the corner of the room, were the trashcan was located and returned to her previous spot. "Uhum as I was saying Potter, you allowed me to go very deep into your subconscious. You lacked control in the beginning. You let me see whatever I wanted to see and go wherever I wanted to go. You are nauseous right now because you lost control. Being a passenger in your own mind will have that effect. Now.. Try to block me this time". "Sir, I think I need a moment to…" A sigh came from the professors mouth as he herd those words. "Off course, take all the time you want Potter. Do you need me to get you a chair? Maybe some water? A hall pass to go see madam Pomfrey? You Gryffindors are all the same, bragging about you courage, but a little headache or nausea and you're running to your daddy. Well you're not eh Potter". The girl looked at him, first with shame in her eyes then pure hatred. "No _professor…_ (emphasizing the word so the disgust shone through it) I just said I needed a moment, not a hospital wing". Never show weakness she thought. I know that you can't ever show weakness. Apparently asking for a moment is also considered showing weakness. Remember that. "Clear your mind Potter!" Snape said just before another white light sucked her into her own mind again. She saw herself as a little girl, maybe five years old. She was in a park with grass and flowers surrounding her. Next thing she knew she saw herself falling off the swing and hitting her head at the post of the swing set. She remembered what would happen next and said "NO" again. A white light surrounded her and now she saw herself as a toddler. She was lying in her bed crying. Her face was red and it seemed like she had been crying for quite a while in that memory. Another white light. A pale yellow wall again. A girl about eight years old, kneeling on the floor… "NOOO!" . She woke up at the floor of the classroom. Her face was pale like parchment, the queasy feeling in her stomach was back and she heard a dark whispering voice say: "It seems like you really don't want to remember that memory Potter. You don't have any control until that memory surfaces. It makes me wonder… If you don't remember, how do you know that you don't want to remember…" "I…I…I…" She started to think of what to say, or rather what lie to tell about it. Then she remembered. _He can read your mind, do not think about it. _"I think Potter, that you _do _remember what happened and that your don't want _me _to see that memory". _Do not think, do not recall, do not think…_ "I think you are too embarrassed to let me see that memory. What was it Potter, were you acting like a spoiled brat? Did you want a piece of candy and didn't get it"? The delight of her suffering was very noticeable in his tone. "Well maybe I'll see it another time. For now you are dismissed." "Thank you, sir" she said, trying to keep her tone respectful. "Be here same time next week Potter. Maybe I will get that memory out of you then", he added. _Oh NO you will Not! _She thought while stepping out the door.

_That irritating child_, he thought when he was finally alone again. _That little monster! How dare she be so disrespectful to me?! And now I have to teach her one on one too… As if her insubordination at potions class isn't enough. Now I have to teach her occlumency too? _He was striding through the room while thinking. _I need a cup of coffee_, he thought. He walked outside of the classroom and through the corridor. His black robe swinging after him as he walked rigorously and fast. His pace matching the anger inside him. He took a few turns and walked until he saw a door. He took out his wand and placed it on the palm of his open hand then moved his hand towards the door as if offering his wand. Suddenly the wand started to move in his hand. Rotating like the dials on a clock, faster and faster until it ejected a green and silver light. Then it laid still again. Severus walked into the living room at his private quarters and sat down on his couch. He looked at the silver wall in front of him. It had a black cabinet pushed against it and shelves mounted at the top. He kept staring at the glass window of one of the doors of the cabinet. _Well maybe something stronger than coffee isn't such a bad idea. It's past office hours anyway. _He stood up and walked to it opening the door, taking out a glass and a little bottle. He pored some of the liquid in the glass and put the bottle back in the cabinet. Sitting down on the couch again he was still thinking about _that irritating child._

He had always known that the Potter brat would come to Hogwarts and looked forward to it reluctantly. Not because he hated the child but she was a carbon copy of her mother. He had heard people talking about her (Dumbledore) and the first thing said every time is how much she started to look like his beloved Lilly. Therefore Severus had dreaded seeing the child at Hogwarts. A continuing memory of who he had lost. Of what he had done. He sighed, putting the crystal glass to his mouth and drinking the content in one go. He sighed again. _That stupid girl. _The first time he saw her in the great hall his jaw had dropped. Stupid Dumbledore, always exaggerating about everything… until now. The girl really was a exact copy of her mother. For a moment he had even thought she would be sorted into Ravenclaw, like her mother. _I should have known it at that moment _he thought while getting up from the couch. He started pacing again. _I should have known when that brat got sorted into Gryffindor that she is nothing like Lilly. She may look like her but that is about all. I could have known that Potter's genes would corrupt the girl to no end. She looks like her mother but acts like a Potter all the way. She had proven that with her little stunt last year. Taking on the Dark Lord alone… that's an action only a Potter child could think of. If she was anything like her mother she would have gotten help at the very least. But nooo.. I'm the golden girl, I'm a legend, I can do anything. _Severus walked back to the cabinet and took the bottle out again. Draining the glass he had just pored full and refilling the glass again in one go. He started walking around again whilst drinking from the glass. _That stupid girl. She could have gotten herself killed. Lilly's sacrifice would have been for nothing.. nothing!.. _He started thinking back to when the girl had first walked into his class. After the sorting hat placed the girl in Gryffindor and he hadn't realized the idiot was nothing like her mother. He'd tried his hardest to ignore the girl. He couldn't look at her without seeing Lilly. He was haunted with memories every single time the girl spoke to him or looked him in the eyes. Those brilliant green eyes. That voice as soft as Lilly's. He'd thought it was Lilly's revenge. Remembering his lost and betrayal almost every day for the next seven years. "Luckily it only lasted for one year" he muttered under his breath, half thinking half talking. After her little stunt with the Dark Lord he had finally seen the Potter hellion for what she truly was. Not a copy of Lilly but a Potter terror in the making. After that he had no problem looking the child in the eyes. All he saw when looking at the little spoiled brat was her father. That little criminal Potter had always jumped before he leaped and this stupid girl was doing the exact same thing. He had rewarded the girl with detentions and had sneered at almost everything she had done wrong, still she was getting into mischief and disrespecting people. "That idiot" he said under his breath again. Had she just taken the hint and toned down there wouldn't be a problem but noo… the more he sneered at her, the more detention he assigned, the more lines he had the girl write, the more she rebelled. Now they ware at a point that neither of them could stand the other. _Well it's better than feeling guilty every time I see her. But still, I don't think Lilly would like seeing my actions against her daughter. And it isn't helping the child become more aware of dangers and staying out of trouble. _A second voice entered his mind. _I do not care. The little Potter monster did this herself. She thinks she is a little princes who can do whatever she wants without having to think about the consequences of her actions. Surely she was treated with kid gloves her whole life. Growing up thinking she was special and no rules applied to her. Now everyone at Hogwarts was treating her the same. Giving her attention and bending the rules for her. Well he was not going to do that! Let the girl be treated like royalty by Mcgonagall and Dumbledore and any other idiot on staff who didn't see the child for what she was, a monster in the making! _That last thought coincided with slamming the now empty glass on the little wooden table in the middle of the living room. He stopped pacing and walked towards one of the closed doors opening it swiftly and going in. The walls ware black accept for one which was white. There was a large bed in the middle of the room, the bedpost only touching the white wall. It was standing on a green rug that filled almost the entire area. Severus walked to the corner of the room, were a white lounge chair was situated, and started to undress. Still thinking and mumbling. _And now these lessons. Teaching that child occlumency is like trying to wash off your Death Eater Mark with a wipe-it. Impossible! It was obvious that the girl had no control over her emotions even before the lesson but this was just astonishing. Legilimency isn't like mind reading. Usually you had to combine the feelings that you picked up from someone with the situation and figure out from there what the other was thinking or trying to do. But the bloody Potter idiot was wearing her heart were her sleeve was so rigorously that he could actually read her mind?! He had noticed it before in class but had thought it was his imagination playing tricks on him. This is going to be hell. _He sighed again and climbed into bed. An unusual half smile emerged on his face. _It was fun to see the girls reaction. Maybe he could get some pleasure out of it. And that memory she was trying to keep from him.., probably some memory of her highness Potter throwing a tantrum about something trivial. Yes, maybe it would be fun to continue these lessons. _He sighed one last time before turning on his side and dimming the lights with his wand.


	2. Chapter 2

Hailey tried to get out of the door so fast her foot got stuck in the hem of her robe. Stumbling and trying to catch herself she didn't notice who she almost bumped into. She managed to not fall on her face completely and ended up on one knee and two hands instead. "Careful Potter!" A voice said so slick and embedded with contempt that the owner could only be one person. Looking up she saw a blond haired boy, smirk on his face, accompanied by three more Slytherin boys. "I don't know why everyone thinks the Girl-Who-Lived is so special, she can't even walk properly. Seriously Potter, it's right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot, do you need me to teach you?" The other boys started laughing as Draco was displaying what only could be described as a toddler trying to walk.

"Ow shut it Malfoy." She walked off before the blond wizard could utter another word. The laughing finally stopped when she reached the Great Hall and she walked up the stairs leading to the Gryffindor common room. Entering she saw Hermione and Ron both sitting in front of the fireplace.

"Hey you guys".

"Hailey… Where were you?" Hermoine asked while looking up from the game of wizzarding chess she and Ron were playing.

She walked towards them and plumped down on the ground. Halevy signing.

"I was with professor Snape."

"Snape? What did he want? Did you get detention again?"

Although it was Ron who asked the question, they both had the same puzzled look on their faces.

"No I didn't have detention. I had my punishment for stopping Voldemort's plans."

This time it was Hermoine who interjected. "Punishment? We didn't receive any punishment. I think the Headmaster was rather pleased that we managed to stop him, don't you? Wait… did Snape give you detention for it? Because if he did, I think you should tell the Headmaster…"

Ron's face in the meantime was going from puzzlement to anger. "That's just typical!… That rat bastard…Leave it to him to punish you for something the entire wizzarding world would be grateful for. You know there are rumors that Snape is a Death Eater. Maybe that's why he's punishing you. Maybe he's mad because you stopped You-Know-Who from returning…"

"You guys, please, I didn't mean it that way." She sighed again and leaned back on her elbows. "I didn't tell you this before but after the fight Dumbledore came to talk to me. It was when I was still in the infirmary. He said that it would be useful for me to learn occumency and that Snape was the best teacher for it. That's what I meant before. Now that I've stopped Voldemort's ( Ron shivered at the name) plans, Dumbledore thinks that he will be coming after me or something. At least that is what I think, he didn't really explain much."

The two friends looked at each other, not really knowing what to say. But a usual Hermoine wasn't rendered speechless for too long. "Well maybe it's not so bad. I mean you are learning something new aren't you. Maybe it will be very useful against Voldemort."

"What is it anyways?" Ron asked. "Some kind of dueling strategy or something? I've never heard about it."

Hailey looked at her friends with an evil grin that not quit matched her hated professor's but was none the less effective if the look on her friends faces was anything to go by. "Well Hermoine isn't totally wrong. It has been useful. Not against Voldemort jet but still useful for us."

"Well what is it? Come on… tell us… you are looking very smug you know that right."

Not wanting Ron to explode from curiosity she chuckled and started explaining.

"Well what if I told you that Snape can read our minds…?"

"WHAT… What are you talking about! That's can't be… but… no… are you serious?"

"Oh yes I sure am. Well no maybe not."

"Ah see I knew you were taking the piss."

"No Ron, I just meant… I know for sure that he can read my mind… I'm not so sure that it goes for everyone… "

"No shit!"

"Ron for god sakes could you stop with the language already?!" Hermoine looked at him with a scowl before turning to her other friend. "Are you really serious Hailey?"

"Yes Hermoine, I just spend an hour with him and I can assure you that he most definitely knew what I was thinking."

"But how.."

"Well that's that occlumency crap, it's some sort of art that lets you protect your thoughts from people who know Legilimency. Snape is a master at both and can penetrate our minds. It's all a bit difficult to explain. It's a very complex art that is used to extract your feelings, emotions and memories."

"Yeah but that doesn't mean that he can just read your mind though."

"No Moine but he says that I wear my heart up my sleeve in such a way that he can just pick up my thoughts. I can assure you that I didn't find out in a pleasant way that he could do that."

"Oh god… does that mean…"

"Yes Ron, it means that he knows exactly how I feel about him, and has for a long time.

Ron started laughing but stopped when he looked at his friends. "Yease mate I'm sorry… maybe that's why he acts that way to you."

"Neh, he's the one who stared it, remember. But anyways, I really need your help. My next lesson is in a week and I do NOT want him to read my mind or see my memories. I want to start practicing right away."

Hermoine beamed with pride. "I think that's a wonderful idea! We still have some time before curfew. Let's go look in the library and see what we can find."

"Thanks Moine. Will you help too Ron? I know it's a lot to ask to do more research but I don't want Snape to see anything and then tell Malfoy in front of the whole class or something like that."

"Yeah that sound exactly like something he would do. No worries, we'll help you…"

"Thanks you guys."

The next week they spent every free hour in the library. Luckily there were tons of books on the subject and Hermoine being herself couldn't resist studying it as if there would be an exam at the end of the week. Ron was so freaked out about Snape reading his mind that even he did his best to familiarize himself with the subject. The books were very useful. They explained that the mind was very complex. Existing out of multiple layers that were formed differently for every single person. Just as someone's personality started forming from birth, so does the way the mind compartments memories and thoughts. Some memories get buried deep in the mind while others are stored more to the surface. One book was particularly helpful as it shed a light on the professors ability to read Hailey mind. It was about the natural existing shields most wizards have. Well actually about the dangers that go with using Legilimency on muggles because they don't appear to have any natural wards. Hermoine quickly reasoned that muggle born or muggle raised children may have that same flaw. "Maybe it's something that starts forming automatically when you are raised in a household of wizards or something? Did professor Snape say anything about it?"

"No you know how he is. He just ridiculed me about it. He said it was because _I was wearing my heart on my sleeve _or something like that.

"Well I think it reasonable to assume that the most outer layer of your mind is the one where your thoughts are. That's what's the most on the surface, where everything comes in. From there on it gets sorted. Useful information get stored in one of the deeper layers while other information gets discarded. If muggle born and raised children have no wards whatsoever it's only logical that he could penetrate that layer and just read your mind."

Hailey looked at her friend with admiration. "You know Moine, you would make a good professor. Hell you would do better than Snape teaching.

But I didn't get the feeling from Snape that it was very normal to be able to read someone's mind. Then again maybe he was just acting that way to make me feel inferior again."

Hermoine watched her friend with compassion "Well maybe it's just the combination of being raised by muggles and 'wearing you heart on your sleeve' as he put it."

"Yeah maybe it is. Just another thing that makes me special" Hailey winked at Hermoine and Ron and they all started laughing.

"Well, I for one am very happy with that explanation. That means I can just relax while you have to work. Since I have grown up around wizards I have already been blessed with a natural shield." He leaned backwards on his chair folding his arms together above his head. Hermoine took a piece of parchment that she had used previously, fumbled it and threw it at his head. She hit him right in the nose.

"Hey… Who did that!"

The three friends started laughing again before getting back to do more research.

Following the information in the books, Hermoine and Hailey cleared their minds every night before going to sleep. It helped that they slept in the same dormitory because the first nights it proved to be difficult. Hermoine pointed out that it was a lot like meditation and since she already had some experience with it she helped Hailey the first nights. After the third night they got the hang of it and it started taking less time.

The rest of the week flew by thanks to all the extra research and a lot of regular homework. Before long it was time for another lesson with Snape.

"Enter" Came the silky dark voice from the other side of the door.

She took a deep breath and walked into the classroom.

"Miss Potter, I see that you are indeed capable of displaying manners."

She glared at him and walked a little further into the classroom.

He stood up from his desk and walked to the middle of the class.

"Come stand over here." Snape said in his usual short voice.

"She walked over to him slowly, eying him as she went.

"We don't have all day Potter, hurry up."

That got her moving a little faster and in no time she stood in front of her professor.

She eyed her professor. He was wearing his usual scowl and she saw him looking directly at her.

_God I hope all the practice helped. _She thought, not wanting the man to hear another single thought.

When the girl walked in Severus immediately had the feeling something was off. He had survived all those years of being a spy mainly because he had a natural sense for seizing up situations and although he couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly, he just knew something wasn't right. He walked up to the girl and watched her closely. She stood there, looking up at him but not quite meeting his eyes. Then it hit him. It was too quiet. Hearing Potter's thoughts the last lesson had surprised him, to say the least. He had thought it was his imagination when he heard things in his lessons previously but after the last lesson it became clear that had so little wards against intruders that the girl really was a open book. But now… Nothing. His facial features turned into a scowl as he realized it and he spoke.

"What, _Potter, _have you done now." He spoke the words very slowly, adding a devilish tone to it.

The girl in question finally met his eyes and flushed a little before answering.

"Uhh, what are you talking about professor."

"Stupid girl, I know you did something!" Snape was getting angry at her. That little twit thought he could be fooled. "Last time I could hear every single obtuse thing that seeped into your mind. You think I wouldn't notice you not having any thoughts whatsoever."

He took a step closer to Hailey until their faces where mere inches apart.

"I will ask you ONE more time, What. Spell. Did. You. Use."

Hailey swallowed hard. When she heard Snape say that he couldn't hear her thoughts she was esthetic. But the man was getting really angry and she got the distinct feeling that Severus Snape was not a man you want to see angry. If she didn't convince the man that there was no foul play here, she could very well be on the receiving end of some real nasty hexes.

"Ow, uhm, professor I didn't use any spells I…"

Snape interrupted the girl before the next lie would fly out of her mouth.

"One more time, miss Potter."

"I'm sorry sir?"

"Lie to me, One. More. Time." The or else was implied and totally unnecessary because he spoke the words with enough venom that only a fool would not take him seriously.

"Professor please listen. I really didn't use any spells… I practiced"

It was a good thing that she muttered out those last two words because Snape had grabbed his wand out of his pocket and pointed it at her by the time the sentence was finished.

"You what?!" He said with harsh words that covered up his surprise.

He had fully vowed to hex the girl into oblivion if she dared to utter one more untruthful word to him. Severus Snape did not like to be treated like a fool and a reprimand from the Headmaster would have been fully worth it if it meant teaching the girl some respect.

"Do tell, miss _Potter, _How you could have practiced. I do not remember giving you homework. I do not even remember telling you _how_ to practice occlumency. Do not take me for a foolish Gryffindor you stupid girl!" The last words were spoken in a malicious whisper.

She was really getting scared now. The professor had his wand in his hand and pointed in her general direction. He just had to utter the words and she would have… Well what would she have. She couldn't even begin to think of the nasty hexes one Severus Snape would have in his repertoire. Best to explain very quickly and not get mad at the man for not believing her.

"I.. I looked it up in the library." She whispered.

Well that took him of his feet. "You looked it up?" He said, the surprise now clearly manifested in his voice. "Well this is a surprise miss Potter. I would not have thought of you actually making an effort for these lessons."

The lack of distance between her and her professor was making her incredible uncomfortably but she didn't dare to take a step back. She had to force herself to keep eye contact with the man.

"Well sir I did." She said resolutely.

Snape eyed his pray thoughtfully. He still wasn't convinced that the girl wasn't playing him for a fool. After all the brat never showed any effort in his Potions class. Even assigned work was badly researched and written. Why would the Golden Girl suddenly realize that she wasn't special and that she too had to put in the effort, just as anybody else. And even if she would have done the research it was quit admirable that she would have been able to build a ward, however so small, in one week's worth of time. Last lesson he had taught her how to keep your mind clear. When there are no thoughts, there is nothing to hear. But now the girl seemed to be contemplating a whole lot of things, her facial expressions said it all, he just wasn't able to hear it. This meant that she really had a wall of some sort. Ether the girl was a natural or she was deceitful. Maybe just give her the benefit of the doubt? No that is not something Severus does. People are liars! That little Gryffindor twit is lying and I will make her confess. A smirk graced his face as he continued his interrogation.

"Tell me, what brought on this sudden turn of events?"

"Well I thought that was obvious."

"Indeed?"

"Yes, I would really rather like to keep my private thoughts _private_!" Hailey was started to get aggravated. Any other professor would have given her House Points for doing extra work but here she was, standing in front of Snape, not knowing why the man didn't believe her and still not sure she would get out of there without some very itchy boils (or something like that).

"How did you practice?"

"Well the books said you have to clear your mind, just like you did, sir. So I did that every night before going to sleep and between classes."

"I see." Was the only response she got. He broke eye contact and took a step back, to Hailey's relief.

"Then you would not mind me seeing for myself?" It was posed as a question but they both knew it was a farce. Before she could prepare he whispered 'legilimence'.

Severus was indeed surprised that he stumbled upon a wall. The girl really wasn't lying. Spells could shield one's mind from a legilimens but it worked very different than occlumency. It would make the mind appear empty and shield everything, not build a wall. Although the wall was very strong for someone who had just practiced for a week, he breached it with little effort. He flipped through the memories looking for something specific. A few moments later he had found what he was looking for. He saw the girl with the rest of the _Golden trio_ sitting in the library. Stacks of books about occlumency piled on the tables. Satisfied that the girl was not lying he retreated from her mind. Hailey knew Snape was looking for those memories so she didn't try to resist. Better to let the man see so he would put away that blasted wand that was still not far enough away in her point of view.

The lack of resistance had a very welcoming side effect. This time she wasn't laying on the floor panting, as he retreated, but she was still standing in front of the man like nothing happened. She gave her professor a weak smile.

"It seems that you are indeed truthful, miss Potter. I must say it is a welcome surprise. It seems that you are very much capable of building a wall. Something I would not have deemed possible after our first lesson. Maybe there is hope for you jet."

She didn't know if she should be offended or thank the man. Thanking him seemed the safest option so she went with that.

"Now that you have your ward, you will only have to make it stronger. This comes from practicing like you have done before. The more adequate and faster you become in clearing your mind the stronger your wall will be. This is something you can do outside of our lessons. If off course this new mindset is a lasting one. But you being you I think maybe it would be best to make some rules. " With a new smirk on his face he continued. "Every lesson your ward will have grown stronger, if it has not you will scrub cauldrons for an hour."

He didn't give the girl time to object and started pacing the room. "In these lessons you will now practice throwing someone out of your mind. You will not always have a strong enough shield to keep someone out. Therefore it is imperative that you learn how to remove someone from your mind. Any questions?" He stopped pacing and watched the girl intently.

_Well isn't this great, I've screwed myself jet again. I do extra work, I succeed, and now I can do even more or I get detention. That man really is a piece of work. _She thought.

_And now he is going to try to breach my mind for an hour every week. If I hadn't done all that extra work he would have had to teach me how to create a ward. He would have had to explain things and there would have been less time to legilimence me. Now he's got a whole damn hour to search for the most embracing memories and taunt me with it. Well you really did it now Potter. Good Job! _

Realizing she hadn't answered the man's question and was now quiet for quite a while she sighed and said "No professor, everything is clear."

"Very well. Prepare Potter."

"Legilimence!"

Snape was still quite taken back by the strength of her wall. After preparing it was even harder to breach than the first time. None the less he broke though and started zooming in on her memories. He hadn't forgotten about that memory the girl was so desperate to keep hidden the first time. But apparently she had not only created the wall but also structured her thoughts. That memory was one of the first ones he encountered every time he breached her mind that first lesson. Now it was nowhere to be found in that first layer of her mind. That was disappointing to Snape. Vowing he would look for it some other time he zoomed in on another memory.

A flash of white light and she was in her childhood again. A ten year old standing in front of the stove. The pale yellow wall on the right side and a white door with a glass window on the other side. Her aunt and uncle sitting at the kitchen table. Aunt Petunia slowly sipping her hot coffee and uncle Vernon reading the newspaper. He was reading something out loud to Petunia. Hailey was just flipping the omelets when Dudley walked into the room. He looked at her and smirked. Then walked over to her and pushed her against the kitchen counter. Hailey hadn't seen her nephew walk in so the push came as a total surprise. Her hand hit the hot pan causing it to fall. She slipped a little and caught herself from falling by using her arm as support. Unfortunately the thing her arm was resting on was the electric stove. She screamed out as her underarm and elbow got burned by it.

Snape heard the fat little boy say "Watch out were you walk freak!" before Hailey was finally able to push him out. This time she was panting from the effort.

Severus looked at the girl, not quite sure what to think of what he had just seen. After all it's not every day you see a ten year old cooking family breakfast, especially not the bloody girl-who-lived, and burning her arm. And that word _freak, _he was not entirely sure what to think of that. But then again a little sibling rivalry never hurt right. And with the memory stopping when it did it was possible, no solid, that the girls family would have immediately made a fuss about the little _princes _and comforted her. No nothing strange there he concluded. He watched the girl catch her breath and decided not to question her.

"Are you quit ready Potter, prepare yourself." He said raising his wand one again.

Glad that the snarky professor didn't request any answers she nodded and prepared herself.

The familiar white light again, she was eight and crouched down in her cupboard. Her aunt and uncle had visitors and so she knew she was not to make any sound. And since she had stupidly decided to crouch when the family Goldstein had walked in, she didn't dare to move because any sound would mean a very, very bad weekend. She had sat there for about an hour, maybe two she remembered, and her legs were starting to hurt. She knew what would happen next and so she concentrated on pushing Snape out. The last thing Snape saw was her falling back, when her legs finally gave out, and landing on the floor with a loud _thump_ .

This time she had to use a lot of force to push the man out of her mind. She wasn't laying on the floor jet but about half way there. She was sitting on her hands and knees and panting profusely.

Again Severus was confused. That girl has some strange memories. He distinctly remembered the look of horror on the girls face as she fell backwards. What was that girl doing in such a strange little room and why was she so scared? He didn't care for the brat at all but she was becoming more and more like a puzzle. Something to solve. And Severus Snape always liked a challenge. He dreaded giving the girl occlumency lessons. The little Gryffindor princes that everyone adored and looked up to. The girl that made him think about Lily every freaking time he looked at her and remembered him of that Potter jerk every time she talked. No Severus didn't want to know about her memories because of the girl. The girl was fine and even if she wasn't, he did not care. She was the product of two people that caused Severus nothing but pain. He wanted to find out about the memories because it was a puzzle. Something to solve and something to make these blasted lessons more interesting and fun for him. If he could use those memories to embarrass the girl, to make her tone down a bit, that would make these lesson worth his time.

Without looking at the girl he said "That's enough for now. We will continue after the summer break. Dismissed." And walked through the door.


	3. Chapter 3

_Well that was strange. No scratch that. That would have been strange for any other teacher than Snape. For Snape that is normal behavior. I hope he doesn't suspect anything. _She rose from the ground and started walking towards Gryffindor Tower. _I don't understand why I must take these stupid lessons anyway. Dumbledore says I am a target, well isn't anyone? If the Dark Lord returns any- and everyone is a target so I don't see why I'm the only one that gets stuck with Snape once a week. _She was almost at the portrait leading to the common room when she resolutely turned on her heel. She was going to see the Headmaster. He better gave her a very good reason why she was the only one taking these lessons or she would quit. If Snape would sift through her memories for an hour every week he was sure to find out. _There are eleven years worth of shitty memories stored in there and only one year of good ones. One year, this last year, Hogwarts._ _Her new friends and most of her professors and… Dumbledore. _Her anger immediately evaporated when she thought about that. The man had given her so much. A sense of belonging, a second home.

While she was contemplating she reached the gargoyles leading to the Headmasters office. Her face fell. I don't know the password she said quietly. It was as if that _was_ the password because the moment she had said it the Gargoyles moved and the moving staircase appeared. She ascended them and knocked at the door. "Come in Hailey" was the Headmasters response through the thick wooden door.

"Good evening Headmaster" she said looking up at the man who always gave her a calm and soothing feeling. His presence was enough to feel secure and to know everything would always be okay.

"Hailey dear, what a pleasure to see you. Would you like a cup of tea?

"Yes please, sir"

He conjured up a tray with tea, biscuits and milk and sugar, with a snap of his fingers.

"Sit dear, sit. It's good to see you." He shoved one of the cups towards Hailey who reached for it and took a grateful sip. She was parched from the intensive occlumency lessons.

"How are classes?"

"Uh.. great sir"

"And how are your friends?"

"Uhh.. also great."

"Splendid, splendid" He sipped from his tea and watched the girl before him. Blue eyes twinkling from behind his spectacles. "Now dear, why did you come to see me? Not that you need a reason of course. I'm more than happy to drink a cup of tea with you anytime you wish." He winked at her and gave her a big smile.

She smiled back at him and suddenly realized she had forgotten why she was there. The man had a way with people that's for sure. Had she not come with a resolute reason. She had wanted to give the man a lecture about something right?! _This is seriously stupid. A few kind words from the man and you forget what you are doing and want to say. _It took a few moments but then it came back to her. _Oh yes, Snape, the lessons, Voldemort._

"Yes sir, I just.. well.. that is.. _Stop stuttering and talk! _Sir, I was wondering uhm about the lessons with professor Snape. Well I just don't understand why only I should take those. I mean when Voldemort comes back (It was so nice to talk with someone who didn't flinch or gasped when they heard that name), aren't we all in danger. Isn't everyone in need of those lessons then. Why only me?" She looked at the man who she respected more than anyone with a flush on her face. She really wanted answers but hearing herself saying it she thought she sounded kind of disrespectful to just question the great wizard. "It's just sir… _Yeah it's just what? It's just that I don't want Snape to see all of these fucked up memories of my family and I'm scared that if these lessons continue he will find out. And well if he finds out than everyone finds out and my life here at school will be hell. Yeah tell him that, that will go over well!_ She was snapped out of her thoughts when the Headmaster spoke up.

Dumbledore observed the girl in front of him carefully before speaking up.

"I realize now I did not give you much of an explanation when we first discussed this and I want to thank you for your trust in me Hailey." He smiled at the girl again before continuing. "After all you did go through with the lessons even though you just made clear you have no idea why they would benefit you greatly. And they are lessons with professor Snape none the less, which we all know is not exactly your favorite teacher." She smiled guiltily at the Headmaster and leaned back in her chair a bit. "I was wondering Hailey if it was necessary for you to know the things I'm about to tell you. But I now realize it is prudent for you to know. Tell me, does your scar hurt much lately?"

Hailey dropped her eyes. _That stupid scar. I want to know about the lessons. I don't want to talk about my stupid scar. I don't like the attention it gives me and the concerns it creates among people who care about me. _"No sir" She said quietly "It hasn't since that day with professor Quirrel"

The Headmaster nodded and continued. "See Hailey, the first time you told me your scar hurts sometimes I didn't think anything of it. But later on it became apparent that your scar hurts at specific moments. It's normal for scars to hurt sometimes but that usually involves the weather or other normal external factors. Scars do however not usually hurt when one comes near certain people. Scars _do not_ hurt when Voldemort is near." He paused for a minute watching the girls facial features to look for understanding. Slowly it came.

"It hurts when I'm near Voldemort. It hurts when I'm near Death Eaters. So.. It's linked to Voldemort? It's… It's a connection?!" Those last words came out a little louder than they were supposed to.

"Yes dear girl, I think it is." Dumbledore said with a sad face. "Now I could be wrong of course, Merlin knows I have been before, but I think it is.

"Well what does that mean?" She couldn't even comprehend the implementations of this statement.

"I'm sorry Hailey but I really don't know jet. It could be that it's harmless. You are unique. Nobody else ever survived the killing curse so we don't know if it's normal for a something like this to form in this unique situation. We also don't know how deep the connection is. If you only receive things from Voldemort or if he could receive too. But when you told me about Voldemort that night I thought it a good idea to start teaching you how to shield your mind. Just in case. The more trained you get in occlumency the better it is, even if it all turns out to be harmless." He sighed. "I'm sorry I really thought about keeping this from you. I don't want you to worry too much. I want you to enjoy your childhood Hailey." The Headmaster seemed really sad she noticed when she looked at him. They were silent for a few minutes after that.

"Thank you sir." He was just reaching for a lemon drop when he heard Hailey say that and dropped it on the floor. "Thank me? For what my dear girl?" Flabbergasted didn't even begin to describe what the poor Headmaster was feeling. "For being honest sir. I hate it when people lie to protect someone. I guess sometimes it could be okay, if it's something small and people would get hurt for no reason, but in the grand of things I would much rather people be honest with me. I'm really grateful you told me. It's not the best news in the world but now at least I know what it is. And I'm strong enough to deal with it sir."

Albus swallowed hard to get rid of the lump forming in his troth. "You know Hailey you are a very strong girl. Your parents would be so proud of you. I.. I am so proud of you."

Now Hailey had to swallow hard to fight back the tears of happiness forming after hearing those words. Softly she said "Thank you sir" and let her eyes drift away from the Headmaster.

After a few moments she spoke again. "Sir, I have another question."

"Yes?"

"I was wondering sir, is it possible for students to remain at Hogwarts during summer break?"

Albus contemplated her words before answering. "Why do you ask Hailey. Do you not want to go home?"

_I really should have thought about this, you are an idiot! How do you answer that without raising suspicion? _

"No it's just that I… I feel like Hogwarts is like my second home… Everyone is so nice here and I just like it here so much. I feel like there is a connection with my parents when I'm here. If you know what I mean sir."

Dumbledore smiled at her. "I know exactly what you mean Hailey but I'm afraid it is against the rules for students to remain here. Also everyone you know would be gone except for a few of your teachers. I do not think you would want to spent your holidays with your professors do you?" His smile faded as he continued. "There is something else I should tell you Hailey. Since you just said you prefer honesty… Voldemort's demise twelve years ago rests on your shoulders, and seeing that you just prevented him from returning and then there is the possible connection too… It seems very logical that he would try to kill you again. Voldemort is not known for his forgiveness and you have crossed him two times already in your short life, which I highly applaud you for my dear." He added when he saw Hailey look at him with a mixture of defiance and uncertainty.

The night your mother gave her life to protect you she created an ancient magical protection. This prevented you from getting killed that night, you know that right?" She nodded in confirmation.

"Do you also know that protection still stands?"

Hailey gave the Headmaster a questioning look. "It still stands? What so you mean sir?"

"That magical protection does not ware off until you are of age. Which means in the Wizzarding world, until you are seventeen."

"But sir, that night with professor Quirrel, I really do not think I was protected. I did land up in the infirmary if you remember. " The Headmaster laughed.

"No dear you weren't protected there. I do not mean that you are protected all the time. It means that as long as you live with a blood relative of your mother, the house is protected. No one who means harm can come into the house_. _No one can hurt you there. _Well that's not true because uncle Vernon would have been forced to sleep on the porch years ago! _ That is the other very important reason that you should stay with your relatives over the summer. As long as you can call their home, your home, you are safe there. Just as the wards of Hogwarts protect you during the school year."

_Well this just keeps getting better and better. Now even if I wanted to tell someone about the Dursleys…_

"I understand sir." She took her cup of the and downed the last of its contents.

"I knew you would Hailey. Now would you like another cup of tea my dear?"

She watched the Headmaster fill his own cup but before he could reach hers she stood up.

"No thank you Headmaster, I think I will go back to Gryffindor Tower. Thank you though, for explaining everything to me."

"Thank you for listening my dear. And remember what I said, you are always welcome here."

"I will professor. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Hailey."

As she stepped into the common room she was greeted by a very exciting Hermione.

"Hailey, Hailey I think I've got it!"

'" Slow down Hermione, what are you talking about."

Hermione was jumping up and down and her face was turning red from excitement. They walked over to the couch where Ron was sitting.

"I'm glad your back Hailey, yease she was driving me nuts with her stupid spell. She just kept screaming: the spell works, the spell works, it really really works." Ron was apparently doing an imitation of Hermione, jumping around waving his hands in the air.

Hailey eyed her friend carefully before speaking.

"Spell? Does that mean… You DID IT?!" She all but screamed the last words as she was getting every bit as exciting as Hermione by now.

"I did!" Hermione nodded.

"That's great! How did you do it?"

Ron in the meantime was getting irritated.

"Yease not you too! I don't understand what the big deal is. Hermione was muttering something about combining spells and some muggle music device of some sort.. an MPLEE or something."

The two muggle raised witches started laughing.

"No Ron" Hermione chuckled "an MP3."

"Yeah well whatever. I don't understand what the big deal is."

Hermione looked at her friend. "I'm sorry Ron, I will explain. A MP3 is a portable music device. You can store songs on it and then play it when you are outside. It works on electricity. But as you know, muggle devices on electricity do not work within Hogwarts. I think it has something to do with the wards."

"So what's the big deal, don't you guys already have a radio or what's it called. Those are portable too right."

"Yes Ron they are, Hailey answered. But they are really big. A MP3 is a little device that can be carried around your neck. And it holds up to a hundred songs."

Ron's face was in disbelieve. "Really, that much?"

"Yes Ron", both girls said.

"But if you know it won't work within Hogwarts, what's the big deal?"

"Yeah Ron that's the _It really really works _part. Hailey said mockingly.

"Hermione found the spell needed to make the device work within Hogwarts."She turned to her other friend. "Right?"

Hermione smiled at her and nodded excessively.

"How did you do it?"

Hermione started to explain that she had tried about every possible protection spell she could find until she found that worked. It protected the device from the wards making it work again. Then she realized that there was no way she could charge the batteries at Hogwarts. And sending empty batteries to her parents every other day to charge them would not be very efficient. She started rambling about the poor owls having to deliver and pick them up before Hailey cut her off en brought her back to the subject at hand. She then went to explain the spell she had found in a book that lets you transfer your magic. Seeing that magic is essentially energy she had tried that one on the MP3 and it had worked.

"You see, you just say 'protego' but with a different wand movement like this and the MP3 is protected. The other spell's incantation is: 'Ops Transvehere' and the movement is this." She waved her wand again and Hailey copied it.

"This is really great Moine."

"Yes isn't it!" Hermione was still over the moon that she had figured out a way to bypass the wards that the great founders of Hogwarts had made.

The last few days of school went by quickly and all the students were excited to see their families again. All except one.

No Hailey was not at all looking forward to spending two moths with the Dursleys.

The last breakfast of the year was today and she was as anxious as Ron to get down to the Great Hall.

"Hurry up Hermoine" Ron shouted from the common room.

"I'm coming, I'm coming" was the response he got.

The trio walked down the moving staircases and though the halls until they reached the doors of the Great Hall. 

Breakfast was an even louder ordeal than normally. Severus growled at the at sight of it. _Irritating children, can't even eat in peace. One wonders how they get anything in their mouths when they just Do. Not. Shut. Up. _Another growl escaped his mouth before quietly eating his own dinner_._

A small smirk crossed his lips, almost unnoticeable for all those around. There _was_ something to be excited about. Two months off blissful snotty children, and especially Potter, free time. Just that was enough to keep Severus' temper in check about the stupid screaming children and start enjoying his meal. He glanced over at his childhood nemesis' offspring, only to be utterly dismayed at the sight. It seemed that Potter was eating all but the table ornaments. It was a disgusting thing to witness to say the least.

It caused Severus to revise his earlier opinion about the noise, deciding that was better than the sight before him at the moment. He wondered why it hadn't grabbed his attention earlier. Something so appalling had bound to be noticed earlier in the year, right. Come to think about it, he had noticed it earlier. Not from Potter but the latest Hogwarts attending offspring of the Weasley Clan. Manners were apparently something that people had decided not to burden their children with anymore. With a sneer he went back to his food.

After eating anything in sight until she wasn't full, but about to explode she turned to Ron and Hermione and told them she would be meeting them back in the Common room. After all, this was the perfect time she thought. One glance at the Head table confirmed her suspicions and she walked out of the dining hall to make one last stop before going home.

She walked into the Gryffindor Common room about twenty minutes later and went straight to her dormitory. She packed the mysterious bag into her trunk and then started to pack the rest of her belongings. Hermione walked in when she was almost done.

"Hey Hailey, where did you go?"

"I just didn't feel good all of a sudden, so I went up here earlier. I feel a lot better now". She lied to her friend.

"Yeah well I for one do not think it's strange you didn't feel good. How much food did you eat just now. I've never seen you eat that much before."

She gave Hailey a suspicious look before turning and starting on packing her own trunk.

Hermione was almost done when she spoke again. "Isn't it exciting? going home again I mean."

Hailey sighed and muttered under her breath. "Bloody marvelous"

"What did you say?" She didn't wait for an answer and continued in a rant. "Gods I have so much to tell my parents, they aren't going to believe half I tell them I'm sure. I don't even know if I should tell them our last adventure. I think I best save that little story for the last day of summer vacation. Or maybe until I'm back in the Hogwarts express and tell them through the window just as the train takes off or something. Just in case they get any ideas about me not going back here at all or something. And since they are Muggles they don't know about howlers so I wouldn't have to worry until the next break. Hailey laughed as she imagined that picture in her head. They talked some more and then left the dormitory to go home for summer break.

Spending time at the Dursley had never, ever been this bad. Doing 'freakish' things had always made Vernon vicious and beat her with a vengeance but for the usual things she would just get hit a couple of times. That was no longer the status quo it seems. Luckily it was only one more week, summer detention was almost over. And thank god for that because she didn't know if she would be able to handle much more. And that was saying a lot because she was used.. well used to **a lot. **The beating she got yesterday evening for burning dinner was extremely out of proportion and left her back with a lot of open gashes. If she got another beating like that in the next couple of days she was sure there could be permanent damage. The t-shirt she was wearing was sticking to it and creating even more throbbing. Even though it was a lot of sizes too big for her it still seemed to brush against her skin and get caught by the blood that was coming out of the few still open wounds. That was the reason she had not wore a t-shirt for most of the morning. That was until Petunia saw and ordered her to put something on because the disgusting sight was upsetting her precious Dudley-dud. But luckily her uncle was off to work right now and Petunia went shopping. This made it that she just had to be careful not to upset her cousin and finish her chores for the day to stay out of trouble.

Dudley was sitting at the kitchen table waiting for his breakfast that she was currently finishing. She walked over to the table to put the plate in front of her 'beloved' cousin and retrieved the list of chores for the day. She sighed as she read the list. It was lot of work and if she would have any chance of finishing it before her uncle returned from work she had to start right now. Her back was so sore that moving posed an issue but luckily she had some experience with working through pain. If she didn't make any abrupt movements she should be fine. She cleaned the kitchen first, then went to wash the windows and do the gardening. Luckily the garden had been of the chores list a few days previous, making it not as time consuming as it had been the first day she had gotten back. But still trying not to open the wounds on her back while kneeling down proved to be difficult. Vacuuming and mopping the floor was next and when she was finished she was about to pass out. Having not been permitted to drink for a day and eating for a day more she was dizzy and disorientated. She was leaning against the kitchen counter and panting from the workout. Her back was sore and she was thirsty beyond believe. Only one more chore she thought, cleaning Dudley's room was the last thing on the list. Then she would start on dinner which should be ready by the time her uncle would be back from work. Thoroughly exhausted but satisfied that she wouldn't get punished for not finishing she sighed. Suddenly she heard something. Was that Dudley? It was… but what did he say? I'm hearing things, she thought. Must be de lack of food or something. Then she heard it again, and very clearly this time. _Did he just say my name_? Over the years Hailey had had the privilege to be rewarded with a lot of different names. Granted the names were not very nice but hey, it's not every kid that gets multiple names, usually they are stuck with the one.

She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard him say her name for the third time and walked over to the kitchen table were her cousin was sitting at. Before she could answer a glass of milk was pushed in her hands. If Hailey had tried to get the glass out of her hands any faster than she did she would have just dropped it but as it was she just managed to get in on the kitchen table. She glared at her 'beloved' cousin. "You know I am not allowed Dudley!". He frowned at her. "Yeah I know but you need it" He simple answered.

"Yes well I don't need it that bad" She turned to walk upstairs when her hand was grabbed. "Just drink it before you pass out!" He didn't let go of her hand while pushing the glass back into her other.

"No Dudley I'm not drinking that. Maybe I'll get some tonight when your father comes home."

She hadn't completely lost all of her brain function and knew a trap when she saw one. "You know I'll get punished if I drink that so leave it alone. You drink it!" And she pushed back the glass on the table. "Let go of my hand I have to go clean your room."

"No" He simple stated.

"Dudley… Let. Go. Of. My. Hand." Normally she would have just pulled herself free but she realized all too well that doing that at this moment would cause every wound at her back to tear open. This victory would have to come by words only. "I swear to god Dudley if you don't let go…"

"You will what? You can't do anything right now. You can barely stand. And dad took you school stuff so you can't do anything strange either."

_That little piece of shit._ "Well then I will stand here until you dad comes home. And your room will not be cleaned."

Dudley looked at little flushed as he answered her in a small voice. "My room is already clean, I cleaned it."

Not having laughed in almost two months the sound was a bit foreign to her. It took her a moment to realize she was actually laughing. "You don't clean Dudley, you don't even know how."

"I do know how! I've watched you do it often enough."

Was he actually getting upset she thought. Why would he get upset? I'm just stating the obvious.

"So, why would you clean you room for the first time in your life?"

"Because you're in pain and I'm not! Now sit down and drink the damned milk!" He shoved the glass to his right and watched her pointedly.

"Yeah, you really think I'm an idiot right?"She said with a smirk. "You think I believe you? You don't care about me, never have, why would I believe you care now."

"Because he has never been this bad to you. You always had a hard time but this time he's going too far."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was this really Dudley? Maybe someone had put an imperious on him? But who? No one who was nice to her would use an imperious curse and Death eaters would not make him behave kindly to her, right? Maybe Dumbledore was taking over the world at this exact moment and Voldemort had decided to just die instead of finding ways to come back. Both events were far more likely than her having this conversation. But maybe not. Her uncle was behaving excessively brutal towards her. Having food two days out of the week was not at all a strange occurrence but usually she could have something to drink. Granted she wasn't allowed to drink anything but water but the hunger was far more easily to deal with if you weren't dehydrating at the same time. And the treatment had started at the moment she entered the house. Getting excessively worse when Ron and Hermione had sent her birthday gifts. She had told Hedwig about her home life and the clever bird knew she had to be very quiet if she entered the house. But Pig didn't know. And even if he had known, the bird was about as clever as a fireslug. After banging against the window at his first try the bird had managed to avoid the window at his second attempt but then forgot how to land, effectively banging against the door in her bedroom. She knew it would take Vernon only a minute to storm into her room and relieved the birds from their packages as fast as she could. She had told Hedwig to go back to Hermione and Pig to go home and shut the window as fast as she could. She had just closed the window when Vernon stormed into the room. After realizing what it was she was holding he had beaten her around the rooms a couple of times before taking the presents ( a book and a chess set) and taking it downstairs. She had watched from her window as her uncle stomped on the chess set and then proceeded to set both items on fire. _Happy birthday Hailey_.

Maybe Dudley really had some sympathy for her. Not that she liked that, sympathy was about the same as pity and nobody needs that right.

"Let me go Dudley" She said again.

"No, sit down and drink the milk." The look he gave her made her realize that he wasn't going to give up. She had seen that look many times before. He would look the same way at his parents when he wanted something.

"Let me go so I can go look at your room." She stated. _Let's see if he really is being nice or just trying to get me in trouble_.

"Fine" He released her hand and watched her go upstairs.

When she came back he had a smirk at his face. "I told you I cleaned." He said it as if it were the most common thing in the world. She just watched him in astonishment. "Now are you going to sit down?"

"Yes I will but I'm not going to drink that." She pointed to the milk now standing in front of her.

"Suit yourself."

They sat there for a few minutes in silence before Dudley started the conversation once more.

"So… why don't you tell them what's happening? You know.. at that school?"

She eyed him for a few moments. Was she really having a normal conversation with her cousin?

"I don't what anyone to know." Her voice small as she spoke.

"I don't want anyone's pity."

"But isn't pity better than pain?"

"No, people will threat you different when they know. They get all weird and stuff, I hate that. It's what happened when that teacher fond out at primary school remember? The moment she found out she was all fake and overly kind to me. I hated that. She didn't do anything about it and tried to compensate her guilt by having pity."

Dudley just nodded at that.

"And in 'that' world everyone knows my name. Every.. uhhh… freak would find out and they would all treat me different."

She sighed and continued.

"Some people already hate me, you know. A whole… section of the school actually." She said not wanting to explain the House system. "And one of my teachers. If they would find out they would torment me to no end."

She was so lost in thoughts that she reached out and took the glass of milk without even thinking about it. She gulped it in one go and that continued.

"I can handle two months of this, I can't handle ten months of people either tiptoeing around me or tormenting me."

She looked up at her cousin and saw a look she couldn't really describe. After a few moments of neither of them speaking she gently got up.

"I should start making dinner. Thanks for the talk Dudley."

A/N

fireslugs are totally made up (I think)

Vehere = to carry

Ops = power

I would really like some revieuws.. Even bad ones (Not evil ones ;) )

It's sooo hard to write and I want to know if it's sucks so hard as I think it does

I'm really trying anyways and I hope you enjoy it..

Thanks to the ones who had read it anyways...


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